Purity Will Always Conquer
by Amandah Leigh
Summary: The war is over; Voldemort won. At Malfoy Manor, Narcissa is struggling to keep the family from falling apart, Lucius is desperate to keep their deepest secrets from being revealed, and Draco is beside himself over his most recent task: find Hermione Granger, then kill her. He can manage the first half. But how can he kill the woman he grows to love? DRAMIONE, LUCISSA
1. Chapter 1

**PURITY WILL ALWAYS CONQUER**

(if you don't care about triggers, etc, scroll down a little to page break/the start of chapter one)

**Summary:**

Less than three months after the Dark Lord has named himself the victor of the war against Harry Potter, the Order of the Phoenix, and all who were loyal to Dumbledore, life is anything but back to normal for the Malfoys.

They managed to escape after the Battle at Hogwarts without punishment, despite Narcissa's lie about Harry Potter being dead, but should anyone learn he may still be alive, she'll surely be killed for it. Hermione Granger is among the missing, thought to be on the run, and the latest addition to the group tasked with catching her is Draco, who is even less enthusiastic about this demand than he was about the order to murder the headmaster.

Narcissa is expecting her third child with Lucius (in addition to Draco, they have a seven-year-old daughter, Druella) and also often finds herself caring for the bastard baby of her sister and the Dark Lord. She is exhausted, but she's the only one holding the family together. Lucius is in danger of falling apart at any moment, Draco can't sleep since receiving his orders, Druella wants to be with her parents at all times, and Bella's baby is constantly sick.

Meanwhile, Draco is better at his job than he wants to be. He does indeed manage to find Hermione, but can't bring himself to bring her in. Then he finds her again. And again. He starts to wonder if she's making it too easy for him. They end up making a pact… and a plan. But working together leads to wanting to do more together than work – even thought it might cost them both their lives.

**Info:**

This is a fic about Narcissa and Draco – specifically, Narcissa's troubled relationship with struggling husband Lucius and Draco's forming relationship with hunted heroine Hermione – with focus on their relationship as mother and son.

It's a slow-burn Dramione with a lot of angst and hurt/comfort and equal focus on Lucissa, so if you're seeking smut early on (or fluff) this probably isn't the best fic for you (Sorry!) though if you stick with it, there will be lemons later.

A dark fic, with possible triggers. In general, any of my fics may include the following: assault, abuse, miscarriage/child loss, character death, violence, sex, references to rape, self-harm, addiction, queer content, strong language.

It is M-rated.

* * *

**Chapter One:**

When Narcissa entered the master bedroom, it was to find her husband of over twenty years sitting on the end of their massive king-sized four poster bed, staring down at his clasped hands, looking absolutely defeated and perhaps on the verge of tears.

"Was it as bad as you feared, then?" she asked, almost afraid of the answer. She closed the bedroom door and leaned against it, one hand still on the knob, the other on her abdomen. Her pregnancy – this one, unplanned – was just beginning to show. It was a bad time to have a baby, in the middle of a war, but they'd done the same with Draco and it had all turned out alright. Eventually.

"Worse," he answered.

She closed her eyes and rested the back of her head against the door. Her blonde hair, almost to her waist, was pulled back in a messy braid, and she wore her dressing gown open over a long silk nightdress. She was exhausted. In addition to worrying about her husband and son, she'd already been up half the night with their daughter, Druella, and her infant niece. Druella, only seven years old, was having nightmares again, shaking and sobbing in her sleep, and the baby was sick. Bellatrix, of course, was nowhere to be found. She never was, these days.

It had been but ten weeks since the Battle at Hogwarts, a battle neither Narcissa nor Lucius had taken part in, really, and a battle she'd secretly hoped the Dark Lord would lose. But Harry Potter disappeared – thankfully, the Dark Lord thought him dead, because if her lie had been detected, she'd have been killed instantly – and now there was a small rebellion to quash. A small but powerful rebellion, led by Neville Longbottom, of all wizards.

"Do you want to talk?" asked Narcissa delicately.

Sometimes, after one of these nights, all he wanted to do was talk. Other times, he wanted silence, so much silence, she had to leave the room lest he be bothered by her breathing. Once in a great while, he wanted an outlet, a physical one, and she was content to oblige him, though this is what had led to their expected third child. After that battle, which the Dark Lord referred to as the Final Battle even though smaller fights were still ongoing, once Lucius was confident they'd not be killed, they returned home to Malfoy Manor and he held her down in their bed and fucked her in a primal way she was not all that accustomed to, but she had no objections. She needed the release, too. She only wished they'd been a bit more careful.

He held out his arms. She walked to him. He pressed his lips to her belly.

"We must be mad," he murmured. "To bring another one into this."

"Regret will get us nowhere, my love." She scratched her nails along the back and sides of his neck, under his hair. Her thumb brushed against the numbers tattooed there. A forever reminder her husband had been sent to Azkaban. She was afraid he might end up there again when the war ended. That he hadn't been was a silver lining, though life was far from good.

"They had a girl tonight." Lucius rested his forehead against his wife's abdomen. "They'd abducted her. They cursed and spat at her. She was terrified."

"Do you know her name?"

"The Weasley girl. The one who… the Chamber…"

That was all he needed to say. She nodded and continued to scratch. She knew how it calmed him, her touch, and this in particular.

"They intended to violate her. I was called upon to be first." His tone changed from that of a man defeated to a man disgusted. "An honor, your brother-in-law called it. But he knew…"

"He knew you wouldn't want to," said Narcissa softly.

"She's just a girl, Cissa. Younger than Draco."

Narcissa closed her eyes again. Lucius wrapped his arms around her legs.

"I told them I was not interested. They laughed, jeered, and called me weak."

"You are _not_ weak," she said insistently.

"They called me a queer."

Narcissa stiffened. "You've never been weak," she said. "Not ever."

"Did you hear me, Narcissa?" He held more tightly to her. "They called me a queer."

"What did you say?"

"I said 'My unwillingness to rape a girl does not equate to a desire to fuck men.' Rodolphus replied, 'No, it's your history of fucking men that equates to a desire to fuck men.'"

"But he doesn't know…?"

"No," said Lucius. "He doesn't know, and I don't know that he even suspects. I think he said it to be an arse. I think he would've said it to anyone. But he didn't say it to anyone. He said it to me."

"You're not weak, Lucius." She leaned down to kiss the top of his head. "As for… for being queer… well… if he… he shouldn't say it… in a derogatory way."

"In what other way should he say it?" Lucius' voice dripped bitterness. "It's hardly meant to be a compliment. He thinks I'm weak, he thinks I fuck men, he thinks–"

"Fuck what he thinks."

Lucius' eyebrows rose nearly into his hairline. He drew back to make eye contact with his wife. That was a word she rarely used, if ever. And she'd said it with a harshness he didn't often hear from her, either.

"Oh, Lucius, I'm sorry. But you know I hate when Rodolphus treats you as though you're–"

"I know." His smile was sad. "But he's right, isn't he? I _do_ fuck men. And I _am_ weak."

"I've told you, you're not weak."

"You haven't heard the rest of the story."

She sighed, cupped his cheek, and kissed him gently. He guided down to sit beside him. They held hands, as they had so often as teenagers, and she leaned her head on his shoulder.

"I told them I had no interest in the girl. 'Why would I?' I said. 'I'm married.' Rodolphus laughed at that, too. 'We're all married,' he said. 'Yes,' I said, 'But my wife is perfection. Yours is a slag.' He got me with a stinging hex for that one. I wasn't quick enough to block. He said, 'Fuck the girl, or we'll all know you're an arse bandit.' Then Severus arrived."

"He did?" Narcissa hadn't seen Severus much since the Battle, when that snake bite nearly left him for dead. The Dark Lord claimed to be most glad his best Death Eater hadn't succumbed to his injuries. Severus himself seemed less glad.

"He limped into the center of the circle, grabbed the girl by the arm, said no one would be fucking her, reminded us she's a pureblood in need of a proper re-education per the Dark Lord's orders, told us we ought to be ashamed of ourselves, and said he'd not report us to the Dark Lord if we disapparated immediately. All but myself and Rodolphus did."

"Severus is a good man."

"Severus, unlike your queer husband, is not weak."

"Lucius…"

"He asked Rodolphus if he needed a personalized departure notice, Rodolphus sent a few choice words his way, then he disapparated. I told Severus what he'd missed, he said he'd handle the girl, and I returned home."

"What do you suppose he'll do with her?"

"Knowing Severus?" Lucius chuckled, but it was clear he was not in a laughing mood. "He'll clean her up, repair her torn blouse, Obliviate her, and drop her at the door of her parents." He cleared his throat. "Er… parent."

"Let's get you ready for bed." Narcissa stood and coaxed her husband to his feet. "You need to sleep. You've just had a long and difficult week abroad, capped by an upsetting night with those Neanderthals. You need…"

"Mummy?" A knock at their door interrupted the conversation. "Mummy, could I sleep with you?"

Narcissa looked to Lucius. After a moment, he nodded.

"Come in, my little love."

The door opened. In walked Druella Claudine Malfoy, whose pigtail braids were as messy as her mummy's, and whose eyes were droopy from exhaustion but red-rimmed from crying. She hugged a stuffed Niffler to her chest.

"Daddy?" She dropped the Niffler and held up her arms. "I didn't know you got home!"

"I'm here." He lifted her, hugging her to his chest. She wrapped her legs around his waist and snuggled her face against his neck.

"Let's let Daddy shower." Narcissa took her from his arms. The girl was getting to be too heavy for her to hold, but she estimated she had another year or two before she'd have to set her down for the last time. "I'll read to you until he comes to bed. Then, you have to sleep. It is very late."

"I had another bad dream." Druella sniffled. She reached out her arm and opened and closed her hand twice. The stuffed Niffler flew into it. This nonverbal summoning charm was the first bit of unintentional magic she'd managed to harness thus far, but it was impressive in its accuracy.

Narcissa carried the seven-year-old to the bed, where she set her down. In the bathroom off the master bedroom, Narcissa heard a whoosh of water; Lucius must be stepping into the shower. She had just opened The Tales of Beetle the Bard when there was another knock at the bedroom door.

"Cissy?"

"What, Bella?"

Bellatrix was hardly the person Narcissa wanted to see at the moment. Bella and the Dark Lord were still holed up at Malfoy Manor with no clear intentions to leave any time soon, especially not now that they needed Narcissa to care for their bastard baby on a regular basis.

Sure enough, a second later, when Narcissa waved her wand allowing the door to be opened, in walked Bella with the baby in her arms.

"I can't do this tonight. The Dark Lord needs me. Could you take her? She's sick."

"I am aware of her sickness," said Narcissa, barely able to keep herself from snapping. "I've been minding her all week while you were away, remember?"

"Just one more night, please?" Without awaiting an answer, Bellatrix thrust the six-month-old into her sister's arms. "Delphini, Mummy needs to tend to an important matter but shall see you again in the morning. Thanks, Cissy!" She blew a kiss to her daughter, sister, and niece, and hurried back to the hall without a backward glance.

Narcissa sighed.

"Accio crib." The small crib she kept on her vanity flew to her palm. She dropped it to the floor and re-transfigured it to normal size. If Bella was going to continue to make this a regular occurrence, she'd need to buy a second crib once her own baby was born. Which was all she needed. To have two babies (and a scared little girl) sharing a bedroom with her and Lucius for Merlin-only-knows-how long.

By the time Lucius emerged from the shower, reentering the bedroom clad in gray silk pajamas with his damp hair hanging loose over his shoulders, baby Delphini was out cold and Druella could hardly keep her head up.

Lucius was about to crawl into bed when there was yet another knock at the door.

"Mother?"

Narcissa waved her wand, granting entrance to Draco.

"I…" He stopped in the doorway. "Oh, you're busy."

"We're not busy," she said. "Come in. Close the door."

Lucius did not look at his son. He did not speak. He simply positioned himself under the blanket beside his wife with their daughter between them, reached for the book on his nightstand, opened it, and pretended to read.

"Rodolphus just paid me a visit." Draco looked from his mother to his father and back again. "I assume he told you what happened tonight?"

"About the girl?"

"Rodolphus said, next time, they'll give the girl to me instead of 'the old man.' Did Father tell you…?"

"He told me." She glanced at Lucius, who hadn't even bothered to put on his reading glasses in order to sell the charade. "He did not mention you had also been present."

"I came home and vomited," said Draco. "I suppose I'm as weak as he is."

Lucius closed his eyes. Druella snuggled closer to her mother. Baby Delphini sighed in her sleep.

"Come." Narcissa drew back the blanket.

Draco hesitated. When he was Druella's age, he used to climb into bed with his parents whenever they'd allow it. He felt secure sleeping between them, safe, which was sort of silly considering he – unlike his sister – had never had any cause to feel unsafe. But he'd turned eighteen last month. He was not a little boy anymore. If Lucius was "weak" for what he'd done tonight (or not done) what was he? And what would he be if he admitted he needed comforting from his mummy?

"Listen to your mother," said Lucius, still staring down at his book.

Draco moved to the bed. He sat beside Narcissa, who shifted herself and Druella closer to Lucius.

"I knew her from Hogwarts, of course. Weasley's little sister. Potter's girlfriend. I played Quidditch against her. She was good. Tonight, she… after all the curses, all the… she didn't look like the same girl. Someone had hit her in the face with a hex, her cheeks were all swollen. And then, what they wanted Father to do…" Draco glanced at Druella, who was hanging on his every word. "It… wasn't nice."

"I hope you don't believe that rubbish about your father being weak for his refusal," said Narcissa. "I hope you know that a boy doesn't become a man by…" She, too, glanced down at Druella. "By doing any sort of thing like that."

"You raised me better than the Lestranges did their sons." Draco leaned his back against the ornately carved headboard and closed his eyes. "Did Father tell you what else they said about him? What Rodolphus called him?"

"I'm right here," said Lucius, snapping the book shut.

"Oh," said Draco. "Sorry, I thought we were pretending you couldn't hear us over your reading."

"What did Uncle Rodolphus call Daddy?" asked Druella. "Was it a very unkind name?"

"He meant it in an unkind way," said Narcissa. She wrapped her arms around her daughter and kissed her cheek. "Don't you worry about it, my little love."

"It's the truth," said Lucius bitterly. He put the book back on his bedside table, laid down, and turned on his side, away from them. "That's what matters, isn't it?"

"It's the truth?" asked Draco. The little bit of color in his face drained. "Then you're…?"

"It's the partial truth," said Narcissa. "And it isn't any business of yours or of theirs, and–"

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, Draco." Lucius reached for his wand and gave it a flick, turning out the lights. "If you're staying in here, be quiet. If you're leaving, go."

There was silence for several minutes, save for the ambient sound of the rain outside. This was broken by Druella.

"Mummy?" she whispered. "Daddy is angry?"

"No," whispered Narcissa. "Daddy is tired." She scooched down into a laying position. Druella rested her cheek to her mother's chest. On Narcissa's other side, Draco was still seated, staring straight ahead in the dark. Being a Legilimens, Narcissa knew what he was thinking. He'd learned Occlumency from his aunt, but apparently was not in the mood to employ it now.

Several minutes later, when she was sure Druella was asleep and that Lucius wasn't, she whispered to her son.

"He's the same man you've always known."

"I didn't know… that…" Draco whispered back. "How can you be married if…?"

"You'll understand someday, should you ever love someone as I love him. And I hope you do. Love someone that way. Someday."

"Mother?" Draco finally reclined into a laying position, though he kept a two inch distance from his mother; he certainly wasn't going to cuddle her as his sister was.

"Yes?"

"I was there tonight because the Dark Lord has added me to the team of those tasked with tracking down Hermione Granger. He said I ought to be honored to be entrusted with this."

"But you don't feel honored?"

"I feel sickened."

"I know, Draco." Narcissa dropped her voice to a whisper so quiet Lucius almost couldn't hear her from the other side of the bed. "I hope she's out there with Potter. I hope they have a plan."

"Do not say such things," said Lucius stiffly. "There are ears everywhere. Especially here."

"I'm sorry," said Draco, even though Narcissa had said it, not him. "Father?"

"Yes?"

"It makes no difference to me… if you're… what he said."

Lucius sighed. He had regretted the words the moment they'd left his mouth, but he could hardly take them back now. His closely-guarded secret, the one he'd shared with countless few in his lifetime (his wife, Severus, and the occasional man with whom he'd been intimate) was not one he'd ever intended to reveal to his son.

"Sleep, please, Draco," said Lucius. "And let us not speak of this again."

"Goodnight, then," said Draco. He rolled onto his side, facing the crib. To an outsider, the boy and his father would look like bookends, creating a protective barrier for the woman, child, and unborn baby between them.

But to Narcissa, it felt as if both her husband and son were pulling away, more and more each day, as the war wore on.

And this, like a thousand other things, terrified her.

* * *

**A/N:**

If you're reading The Dark Lord's Daughter or Andromeda Tonks: Long-Term, Addict, do not worry... the next update is in the works! If you're reading Someone Like You, worry not, the end is coming soon, just being beta-read (finally, I have a beta!). If you're reading All Roads Lead to Rome, you can probably worry, because I really lost the muse with that one in a bad way (I'm so sorry) even though I hope to get back to it. But I'm just happy be writing again after a long and painful hiatus.

Thank you for reading this fic! I know it's a little... different... but I hope you'll stick with it. :)

**-AL**


	2. Chapter 2

**PURITY WILL ALWAYS CONQUER**

**Chapter Two:**

During the Battle at Hogwarts, Draco found Hermione outside the girls' toilet on the second floor. She and Weasley had their backs to the wall, wands out, staring down the Lestrange brothers.

"Let's bring them to the Dark Lord," said Rodolphus, grinning.

"I have a better idea," said Rabastan, his hungry eyes sweeping over Granger. A sleazy grin grew across his face, and his tongue darted out to moisten his lips. "Let's stun the boy and keep the Mudblood."

"Over my dead body!" shouted Ron, stepping forward.

"If you insist," said Rabastan. He flicked his wrist, nonverbally sending forward a flash of green light, and the ginger crumpled to the ground.

"No!" shouted a voice.

But it wasn't Hermione's.

The Lestrange brothers turned to see Draco just down the hall, his wand hand shaking, his mouth gaped open. He caught Hermione's eye over his uncle's shoulder. Her mouth was gaping, too. Her eyes were teary. She looked as though she couldn't breathe.

He tried to send her the mental message to run.

"Something to say?" asked Rodolphus.

Rabastan laughed. "Aw, he's soft, is he? Like his father."

"Do not speak against my father," said Draco. His eyes met Hermione's again. She needed to run.

"Maybe we're reading him wrong," said Rodolphus. "Give the lad a little credit. Maybe he wants first go with the Mudblood. After all, it was her escape that led to the punishment of his entire family a fortnight ago. You ready to enact a little revenge, nephew?"

"Something like that," said Draco. He shot Hermione a sharp look.

_Why wasn't she running?_

"In that case, be our guest," said Rabastan. He stepped aside, gesturing toward the girl as if offering her up. "But don't kill her. I'm not a necrophiliac."

Draco caught Hermione's wand hand start to move just a millisecond before his uncle did. Four wands raised. Four voices shouted. And two bodies hit the floor.

Those of Rodolphus and Rabastan.

Taken down by Hermione and Draco.

Together.

"Ron," she said, her voice shaking.

"I'm sorry," said Draco, looking equally scared and sickened. "Now what?"

"Now?" She lifted her other hand. There was something long and ivory clutched in it. Like a shark's tooth, but much too large. "We kill the snake."

"Nagini?"

She nodded.

He didn't know why she was telling him this.

"And after that?" he asked.

"After that?" She glanced down at Ron. Her expression hardened. "Then, we kill the rest of them." Her cinnamon brown eyes raised to meet his gray ones. "Unless you intend to stand in my way."

"No," he said. "You heard Rabastan. I'm soft. Like my father."

"Hardly." She wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand. "You're on the wrong side of this war, Malfoy."

He half-shrugged. "You're probably right, Granger."

A flicker of confusion flashed across her dirty, tear-stained face, but she shook it off, tossed back her hair, and backed partway down the hall. "I don't know what you're playing at."

"No games."

"He killed Ron. You saw that, didn't you?" In an instant, she went from steely resolve to borderline hysterical. "He killed Ron! Ron is dead! Ron is… Ron is… oh!" She dropped to her knees and crawled to his side, dropping the fang. "Ron!"

Draco heard a familiar cackle from down the corner. His aunt.

"You have to go, Hermione," he said. "You have to go. Go now. They're coming!"

"I can't!" The tears started again. "Ron is dead! Ron is… Ron…"

"Get up!" Draco charged to her, yanked her up by her arm, grabbed the fang, thrust it into her hand, and shoved her toward the connecting hall. She had to run before his aunt turned the corner. She had to go.

"Ron!"

"Move your arse, you filthy Mudblood!" He shoved her hard from behind. She stumbled several steps, glanced back at Ron once more, and bolted.

Draco hurried to his uncle, Rennervated him, and modified his memory. He then quickly did the same to Rabastan, before Rodolphus was fully cognizant of his surroundings. And then Bellatrix was there.

"What's this?" she looked down at her husband, his brother, and her nephew with alarm. Then her gaze found Ron Weasley and the thin line of her lips curved into a smile. "What's _this_?"

"He's dead," said Draco. "I got here as he was coming out of the girls' toilet and–"

"And you eliminated him?" Bellatrix clapped her hands under chin, delighted. "Oh, Draco, I knew you had it in you!" She looked to her husband. "Do you know who this is? The Weasley boy, Potter's first mate! The Dark Lord will be most pleased!"

"I… did I hit my head?" asked Rodolphus, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I… not sure," said Draco. "You were both Stupified, I think."

"Oh, Draco. What was it? The Killing Curse?" Bellatrix nudged the body of Weasley none too gently with the toe of her high-heeled boot. "Must have been. Not a mark on him!"

"Yes," said Draco. "The Killing Curse."

"Draco Lucius Malfoy!" She kicked Weasley's body again, hard this time, then hurried to hug Draco. "I've never been so proud to call you my nephew!"

Now twelve weeks had passed, and, unlike his father, Draco was not only famous, he was respected and revered under the new regime. He was the man who murdered Ronald Weasley. The one who helped take down the Golden Trio by cutting it down by a third. The one now tasked with tracking down Hermione Granger.

It was a Monday afternoon when he sat down to tea with his father, mother, and sister, who all looked as though they hadn't slept in three months.

"Mummy?" Druella was curled up in her daddy's lap, her stuffed Niffler hugged to her chest. Her braids were neatly plaited today, her dress was free of wrinkles but dotted with biscuit crumbs, and her bright eyes were shining with curiosity. "Mummy, is the baby a girl or a boy? I want a girl."

"I don't know, my little love." Narcissa rested her palm against her midsection. She was showing even more clearly now. It had been this way with each of her prior pregnancies, too. She'd not only gained weight early, but it had been concentrated entirely in her breasts and lower belly, whereas Bellatrix, throughout her first trimester and through most of her second, had gained everywhere, especially in her face. It hadn't been until midway through the sixth month that Bellatrix had actually looked like she was pregnant.

"When will you know?" whined Druella. "I want a sister!"

"When the baby is born, we'll know." Narcissa wasn't one for spells to determine the sex ahead of time. Not only were they frequently wrong, she liked the surprise. This had thoroughly annoyed her in-laws, who were dying for a son from the moment they announced they were expecting and didn't want to wait to find out whether or not it would happen.

"Can it be twins?" asked Druella. Her thumb popped into her mouth. She spoke around it. "I want two sisters." Her father gently pulled the thumb from her mouth.

"Salazar's sins, I hope not!" said Narcissa with a nervous chuckle. But Lucius alone caught the flash of pain across her face.

She'd carried twins once before.

They hadn't made it to term.

"Silly Druella, I already have a sister," said Draco, teasingly. "Who needs another? I want a brother next. Mother? Please allow me to submit my request for a brother post-haste. I'd like that it be considered with greater weight than Druella's, given I'm the eldest."

"I'll take that under advisement," Narcissa said, half-smiling despite the weight of their current situation. They were striving for normalcy, but the day hadn't been a good one. They were all on edge.

It had started during breakfast. A Granger sighting had been reported by the Daily Prophet that morning, and the Dark Lord was angry. He'd expressed his feelings quite clearly in the late morning.

"She was right there in Diagon Alley and she escaped?" The Dark Lord stroked the head of Nagini and stared discerningly down at Draco.

"With all due respect, my Lord," Bellatrix had said, stepping closer. "We've no proof it was her."

"True, true." His eyes swept up and down Bellatrix's form. Draco fought the urge to shudder. The Dark Lord looked at his aunt Bellatrix the way Rabastan had Hermione. Like he wanted to devour her.

"I am fair man, Draco." The Dark Lord waited for Draco to nod in confirmation. "But you have been on this assignment almost a fortnight, and you've not made headway, have you?"

"I'm sorry, my Lord, I haven't." He ducked his head, trying to look sufficiently chastened, terrified the Cruciatus would be coming. "I am trying, my Lord, I swear it, but–"

"No excuses. She is out there. And I want her here. Understand?"

"Yes, my Lord."

Draco had hoped that would be the end of it.

It wasn't.

And now, hours later, it still hurt to breathe.

Druella crawled off her father's lap and into Draco's, interrupting his memories of the morning. He tried to hide his wince, not wanting her to know of his pain.

"Draco?" She cupped his cheeks with pudgy hands.

"Yes, Dru?"

"I want a sister, not a brother. We _need_ a sister." She put on a pronounced pout. "I already have a brother!"

"But you love having a brother, don't you?" He pinched her nose. "Wouldn't you love another one? A younger one? One you could order about?"

"One I could…" Her eyes brightened. "I could tell him what to do!"

"Sit with me, Druella." Lucius patted his knee. "We'll work on your reading until the tutor arrives."

She hurried back to his lap. He opened a book, Maevie, the Mixed Up Witch, turned to the page on which they'd left off, and pointed to the first word.

"Maevie was still re… recov… recover… recovering… from the hex the next mor-ning, when a kuh-nock on the door…"

"Knock," corrected Lucius and Narcissa in unison.

"Knock on the door ro… row… roused her from a sound sleep. She for-sed herself to sit…"

"Forced," corrected Narcissa and Lucius in unison.

"Forced herself to sit up and slowly made her way to the hall…"

The remainder of tea time was relatively quiet. Druella read aloud. Lucius helped her follow along on the page. Draco broke his biscuits into tiny pieces while worrying about the task he was currently failing to perform. And Narcissa sipped her ginger root tea, hoping it would settle her sick stomach.

Soon enough, the tea was cold, the biscuits were gone, and Druella was off with her tutor.

"It's strange, isn't it?" asked Draco, standing, stretching, and heading toward the parlor door. "She's with her tutor. Uncle Rodolphus has a new position within the Ministry. I'm taking Pansy out for drinks tonight. You're having another baby."

"And that's strange?" asked Narcissa. She set her mug down on her saucer. No amount of ginger could stop the swirling in her stomach, which she suspected was not baby-related at all. She glanced up at her son.

"Life goes on, doesn't it?" Draco pushed his hair back away from his face. "Even when it feels as though it should have stopped."

The moment he'd closed the door behind him, Lucius pulled Narcissa to her feet and into his arms. He kissed the top of her head. "We ought to be celebrating, like the rest of the pureblood wizarding world. The Dark Lord won. Our son is a hero. We've escaped with our lives, our health, our wealth, our status… more or less… and each other."

"So why is it I don't feel much like celebrating?" whispered Narcissa into his chest. "I thought, once the war ended, I'd stop feeling terrified all the time. I thought I'd finally be able to sleep. To breathe."

"Let me take you to bed," he said, his lips tickling her ear. "It's been months."

"You don't want me." She tried to remove herself from his arms, but he held more tightly. "Lucius…"

"You know I'm attracted to you," said Lucius. His hands slid down to her arse. "You know I love you."

"You're confused." She pushed against him again, but half-heartedly this time.

"Not about you." He nuzzled against her, then kissed her neck. "I've never been confused about you."

"When was the last time… you were… with…" She hated to say it. While she loved her husband regardless of his sexual proclivities and extramarital activities, she found it impossible to believe he'd never been confused about her considering how confused she was by him. And how confused she was about her feelings for him.

"I'll tell you after we're done." He placed his hand gently on her throat, sliding up to her jawline, turning her face up toward his. "I need my wife."

"You don't need me." But she let his mouth meet hers. And she let her body melt against his. Her hands slid up his arms, clasping behind his head. Her lips parted. Their tongues connected. And they both knew, if he wanted to take her to bed, she'd go to bed with him.

He was about to apparate them to their room when the parlor door flew open.

"She's been sighted again!" Bellatrix, her baby on her hip, burst in. "Where's Draco? She's been spotted again in Diagon Alley! There must be something she wants there. The Dark Lord hasn't heard yet. I gave Rodolphus the order to follow her but not make contact unless it appears she plans to slip away – the Dark Lord has been clear that bringing her in is Draco's task and his alone. She's in disguise, but I'm sure it's Granger. I saw her myself. Draco needs to hurry!"

"He's in his bedroo–" Narcissa started.

Bellatrix and baby disapparated with a crack.

"I don't have a good feeling about this," said Lucius. He continued to hold Narcissa, but the urge to bed her had dissipated. "That Granger girl is up to something."

"Potter is out there, somewhere. I think they're together. I think they'll resurface. Then the Dark Lord's going to learn I lied." Narcissa buried her face against her husband's chest. "And when he learns I lied, he'll kill me!"

"Mummy!" Druella ran in through the open door, proudly holding up a piece of parchment. "Mummy, Daddy, look! I earned a gold star! I tried to show Draco, but he ran down the stairs and out the door."

"Did he?" asked Narcissa.

She and Lucius exchanged a glance.

He took a deep breath, forced a smile, and took the parchment from their daughter's hands.

"A gold star, you said? We're proud of you!"

"We're proud of both of our children," said Narcissa. She bit her lip, picturing Draco in Diagon Alley.

It could all be over soon.

* * *

**A/N:**

Thank you to those who read, followed, added to faves, and especially those who reviewed! This fic, like most of mine, is slow-burn, but it's also going to be a lot shorter than Dark lord's Daughter, Stages of Grief, Andromeda Tonks, or When Sorrows Come, so even though it has a slow start, Hermione and Draco will see each other soon! :)

**-AL**


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